In My Shoes — FGWC Gallery

Today was the grand opening of In My Shoes, a First Generation / Working Class exhibit of what it means to have such an identity.

I am filled with warmth and love as I am writing this, and I think you can tell how the event went.

A lot of my section mates, friends, and beautiful bunches of people came to see the exhibit. As my friend puts it, “Of course I’m coming. This is your baby!” Not that they came to support me–the majority who came wanted to see such a fine gallery–someone actually wrote that in the guestbook, of the exhibit being one of the finest ones put on so far. There were more than twenty people who came at 4:30 PM, and as the clock ticked on, more people trickled in. It is such an amazing exhibit (not being biased), that it is hard not to go and see. There are many photos, abstract art, stories, experiences, abstract stories and poems of what it means to be a first generation / working class student. A visitor writes of how some of the stories made her cry a little because of how raw the voices were. For instance, the story that struck me the most was about how her mother obtained a biochemistry degree in Mexico, only to be working in a factory here in the United States. Another person put on a photo of snow and chopped trunks of trees with a comment, “This is what an unemployment man does on his spare time.” An alumni wrote about his experience then compared to now. A professor talked about her experience with her colleagues. Another visitor wrote how she may never know what it is like being first generation and/or working class, but she hoped they learned a bit more after today. And that is what I hope the gallery helped do.

If you’re around from now (October 29th) to November 11th, come to the Reid Campus Center and see and hear such a moving exhibit of work.